Tell us a bit about yourself and your company.

I’m a 20-something wedding and portrait photographer based in West Michigan but LOVE to travel! I just graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design with a Bachelor’s degree in Photography. I specialize in LGBTQ+ couples and couples who celebrate diversity and inclusion. My favorite things to do are watch The Office, drink iced coffee, and hang out with my partner.

We’re loving all of the sweet, thoughtful details in this fun-filled Midwest wedding, brought to us by Sydney Marie Photography (Grand Rapids, MI)! Here’s Sydney to tell us more:

When I met Janelle to talk about their wedding and picking a wedding photographer, she was living in Grand Rapids and Scott was down in Nashville. The two of them are from the east side of Michigan and they met at work, and moved down to Nashville for a few years. They then moved to Grand Rapids a few weeks BEFORE their wedding! The first time I actually met Scott was in Nashville when I took their engagement pictures. Let me just tell you these two are amazing people, just the afternoon I spent with them I felt like we had been friends for years. I could definitively see this during their wedding day when friends from every point in their life (even current) were their to support them and their marriage.

Today’s wedding photographer interview is with Thor of THOR*tography, based in Saginaw, Michigan! Enjoy:

Tell us a bit about yourself and your company

My name is Thor and I am working on raising three young kids with my wife in Saginaw, MI. Photography has interested me since I was young but I didn’t really have the gumption to explore photography until I was an adult. Since getting my hands on a camera, I’ve been amazed by the kind of access a camera can provide into other people’s lives and what an incredible tool it is for building friendships. THOR*tography did not start with an especially clear vision, but the more families invited me to photograph their special occasions, the more I honed my approach to provide an artsy documentary style while maintaining a classic perspective with the goal of telling stories about the people in the frame. Wedding photography became a natural extension of this story telling.

Today’s guest post comes to us from Melissa Lande of Lux Light Photography, based in Traverse City, Michigan! Enjoy:

Outdoor weddings are some of the most beautiful and memorable wedding days. If you are planning to have your ceremony and reception outside, there are some must-know secrets that deserve consideration, when planning all of your details.

SECRET #1: Pay Attention to the Sun!

Many brides look on Pinterest and see these gorgeous sunny photos of brides on the beach, walking down a sandy aisle towards her groom. What many couples forget to pay attention to, is the sun’s location. If the sun is directly in front of the bride and groom, they will be silhouetted to not only your guests, but to your wedding photos as well. In the case of photography, instead of seeing beautiful blue water, everything behind you will be over exposed and white, and you will be super dark (especially because most officiants forbid the photographer’s use of flash). The way to fix this dilemma is turning your wedding slightly to the side, so that the sun is hitting the couple at a 45 degree angle. Ideally, the sun should be in the back of the ceremony if at all possible. This will create beautiful side light and still allow you to get married overlooking your preferred destination.